Lightning
by Willow21
Summary: Lightning never strikes the same people twice, does it? Ensemble, angst. (Reposted because it went missing)
1. Part I

_**Title**: Lightning by Willow  
**Synopsis**: Lightning never strike the same people twice, does it?  
**Rating**: PG  
**Spoilers**: Anything up to S6, set around S4  
**Notes**: I started this while waiting for season 5 to air over on these shores, but didn't finish it. I found it again when the B4A forum were discussing an amnesty for unfinished fics, I decided to finish it or at least add to it.  
_

**Part I **

_**Saturday**_

"They'll be fine without you," Leo told Toby. "Josh is going in your place."

"Josh isn't a speech writer," Toby replied.

"The speech is written," Leo pointed out and switched the phone to his other ear as he hunted through his desk for a file.

Toby was sitting on the sofa in his lounge with a box of tissues, a bottle of aspirin and a hot lemon drink. "It may need amending," Toby argued.

"You have the flu, Toby. You're not going anywhere, you're certainly not spending four hours on a plane where you can infect two hundred other people, one of whom happens to be the president. Stay at home, get some sleep, get better."

"I'd feel better if I was going with them."

"Oh for the love of God, Toby," Leo sighed. "If anything happens, Josh is there. If the speech needs amending you can email it to them. Give it up, you're not going."

"Yeah," Toby sighed. "I'll speak to you later."

Leo hung up the phone, "I can hardly wait," he muttered.

"Talking to yourself?" Josh asked. "First sign of madness."

"Nah," Leo replied. "First sign of madness is agreeing to work in the White House. MARGARET!" he shouted. "What's up?" he asked Josh.

Margaret appeared in the doorway. "You have an intercom," she told Leo.

"Yeah," he replied. "Where are the notes on the Highways Bill?"

"How would I..." she shook her head, walked to the coffee table and picked up a file. "Here," she handed the file to Leo and left the office.

Josh grinned.

"What did you need?" Leo asked.

"Is there any reason why tonight shouldn't go as planned?"

"No, why?"

"Because you're sending me 'just in case'."

"Yeah," Leo agreed. "Actually, and don't take this the wrong way, but sending you was the only way to make Toby stay at home."

"Akay," Josh smiled. "You know he'll be watching from home."

"Oh yeah, I'm expecting a least a dozen phone calls," Leo smiled. "I'll see you when you get back."

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

The event went well, the speech had gone down a storm and for once everything had gone to plan, everything apart from CJ snapping a heal on her shoe as they entered the venue. They could hear the cheering crowd as they walked through the lobby. Now they were going to work the rope line, let the press take some pictures and it was back to Air Force One and the White House.

"That was Toby," CJ told Josh.

"Don't tell me," Josh smiled. "He messed up the C section?"

"B," CJ grinned.

"Even when he's ill he can't stop" Josh shook his head. "You realize we're actually on schedule," he said. "We should be back at the White House by midnight."

"Well now you've said that, the motorcade with get a flat, or Air Force One will be grounded by a squirrel in the engine."

"A squirrel?"

"I saw it on a documentary. They climb into the engines because they're warm."

"What happens if they're not found?"

"It didn't say," CJ admitted, "but I shouldn't think they'd feel too well."

"No," Josh agreed as they left the conference center and walked out to the crowd.

All around them were chants of 'Bartlet, Bartlet', but above the chanting and the cheering, CJ heard the word she never wanted to hear again, 'Gun!'. Suddenly she was falling to the ground as someone pushed her down, the cheering had turned to screams and CJ could hear the unmistakable sound of gunfire. She looked up briefly, just in time to see the president's limo speeding away. She tried to stand but someone pulled her back down behind the car. More shots rang out and then there was silence.

CJ sat and leaned against the cold steel of the car as she tried to steady her breathing. She closed her eyes and took deep breaths to quell the nausea.

"CJ?"

CJ turned her head to one side and saw Josh sat next to her. "You okay?"

Josh nodded.

"You're bleeding," she told him and wiped some blood from his forehead.

"I knocked my head. You're not hurt?" he asked.

"No." CJ stood up and held out her hand to Josh who took it and stood up next to her. "Now what?" she asked.

"I don't know." Josh desperately wanted to sit back down. His legs were shaking, his head was spinning and most worryingly, his chest hurt.

_(Continued...)_


	2. Part II

_**Title**: Lightning by Willow  
**Synopsis**: Lightning never strike the same people twice, does it?  
**Rating**: PG  
**Spoilers**: Anything up to S6, set around S4_

**Part II **

Charlie saw Josh and CJ stood next to a car and hurried over to them. "You two okay?" he asked.

"Mr Lyman," an agent appeared at their side before they had a chance to reply. "I need you to come with me."

The agent ushered Josh to an SUV and in through the open door. "CJ and Charlie?" Josh asked.

"Just you," the agent instructed. "We don't have the area secure yet."

"No way," Josh told him and started to get out of the vehicle.

Agent Mayo considered arguing but decided it would be quicker to get CJ and Charlie. "Miss Cregg, Mr Young," he called.

CJ grabbed Charlie and they both climbed into the back of the SUV. Even before the doors were closed the vehicle was speeding off to the airbase.

"You two okay?" Charlie asked again.

"Yeah," CJ told him.

"Josh?" Charlie asked. He didn't like Josh's pallor, he was deathly white. "Josh?" he repeated.

"Yeah I'm fine," Josh replied. "We should phone work. Do we know how the president is?" he asked.

"He's on his way to Air Force One," Agent Mayo replied.

"And he's okay?" Charlie asked.

"I have no idea."

"Phone work," Josh told CJ.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Toby sighed as he made himself a drink of the lemony flu remedy Ginger had sent round for him. He was beginning to think the president deliberately gave one section of every speech in a different way to that agreed on, or maybe he'd just had too much flu medication. He was about to turn the TV off and take the drink to bed, when the presenter interrupted his guests for a newsflash.

"Multiple gunshots were fired into the crowd as President Bartlet left the event," the on scene correspondent reported.

"Do we know if anyone has been hurt?" Gary, the presenter, asked.

"There's been no official statement, but at least two ambulances have been seen leaving with casualties and several more are here. The president's limo and several SUVs sped away during and shortly after the shooting. The area has been sealed off... I'm sorry, Gary, I'm going to have to end there, we're being moved away."

The program returned to the studio. "That was our reporter May Walsh at the scene of what looks like an assassination attempt on President Bartlet. The scene looked very much like the events at Rosslyn three years ago, when President Bartlet and deputy chief of staff, Joshua Lyman, were both shot. As yet we don't have any word on the president or his staff. On the line we have an eye witness, Joe..."

Toby grabbed his car keys and left the apartment, with the TV still talking to itself, and drove to the White House. He tried to call Leo, but there was no answer on his office number and his cell phone went straight to voice mail. He tried calling CJ and Josh, but neither of them picked up. He swore when he joined a queue of traffic waiting to cross an intersection. The radio news was reporting the shooting, but that there was no news on the president or staff. He phoned Josh's office.

"Josh Lyman," Donna answered.

"It's Toby, what's happening?"

"I've just spoken to Josh," Donna told him, "they're all fine. Leo's spoken to the president he's okay as well. Are you driving?" she asked when she heard a car horn sound.

"Yes, I'm coming in," Toby replied.

Donna knew there was no point in telling Toby to stay at home, that he was ill, that there was nothing he could do. "Try not to crash," she advised.

"Are they on their way back?"

"Yeah, they'll be back here in four hours."

"I'll see you in ten minutes," Toby replied and hung up.

_(Continued...)_


	3. Part III

_**Title**: Lightning by Willow  
**Synopsis**: Lightning never strike the same people twice, does it?  
**Rating**: PG  
**Spoilers**: Anything up to S6, set around S4_

**Part III **

_AIR FORCE ONE_

As CJ left the press cabin they were still shouting questions at her. "Lock them in," she told Carol. "Do you know where Josh is?"

"Staff cabin last I saw him."

CJ nodded and went to find Josh. She had to admit he looked alright, he didn't appear to be having any kind of episode, although he had been a little pale in the car, but then who could blame him. When she entered the staff cabin, Josh was on the phone and she caught the end of his conversation.

"... I'll call you when I get back, but I'm fine... okay, love you," he said and hung up.

"Your mom?" CJ asked.

"Yeah, more ammunition for her 'you should get a safer job' campaign," Josh smiled sadly.

"She's bound to worry about you," CJ reasoned as she sat down next to him.

"Yeah. How are you?"

CJ shrugged, "Just about stopped shaking. You?"

"'Bout the same. Press giving you a hard time?"

"You'd think that after being shot at they'd be a little subdued wouldn't you. If they ask me one more time who the shooters were, who sent them, who was the target; swear to God, Josh, I'm opening the doors and pushing them out one at a time."

"Are they annoying you?" Josh asked with a small smile.

"How can you tell?"

"Do we know if anyone was hurt yet?"

"Yes, that's another question," CJ agreed.

"That was me asking."

"Oh, sorry. One of the agents was hit in the leg, but it's not serious, and a man in the crowd managed to break his arm somehow. Other than that, everyone seems to be fine." As CJ spoke she couldn't forget the last time they were shot at. Then they'd believed everyone was fine, until Toby had found Josh. "Are you sure you're okay?" she asked. "You didn't look too hot in the car."

"I was a little shakey," Josh admitted.

"You were white."

"I'd just been shot at and cut my head."

"Yeah," CJ agreed. "You pulled me back down," she smiled.

"Yeah well, standing up when someone's shooting at you is a little dumb," Josh smiled.

"I thought it had stopped."

"Maybe it had," Josh said quietly.

"I don't...?"

"Nothing."

CJ gave up for now, but she knew there was something. "Have you phoned Donna?"

"Yes."

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

_WHITE HOUSE _

Toby knew something wasn't right. Josh would be here, but he couldn't find him. He pushed through the crowd, searched everywhere, but there was no sign of Josh and no one had seen him. Then suddenly he saw him, sat holding his chest, blood pouring through his fingers and onto the ground, into the big pool of blood that surrounded him. Toby tried to get to him, but the crowd held him back. He called Josh's name and Josh looked up, held eye contact for a second and then looked back down. Toby broke free of the crowd and ran to Josh's side, caught Josh as he fell. Blood was pouring over both of them, Toby tried to call for help, but no sound came out of his mouth. Josh looked up at him and then closed his eyes, the blood stopped flowing, perhaps there was none left, but Toby knew Josh was dead, had died in his arms.

"Toby," Donna shook Toby's shoulder. "Hey, wake up. You okay?"

Toby opened his eyes and looked up at Donna. "Where's Josh?" he asked as the nightmare clung to his mind.

"They've left Andrews, they'll be back here in fifteen minutes."

"Okay."

Donna gave Toby a concerned look, but knew he was no more likely to talk about his feelings than Josh was. "I'm going to the mess to see if there's any food, you want anything?"

"Yeah, whatever there is, thanks," Toby replied. "I'm going to see Leo."

Once Donna had left, Toby tried to bring his thoughts back to now, back to 2003, not 2000, but the nightmare had disturbed him. He hadn't had that dream in almost three years. He went to Leo's office, walked in and sat down on the couch.

"You look terrible," Leo told him.

"I know," Toby agreed. "Have we heard anything else?"

"No."

"We haven't heard anything, or we haven't heard anything you can tell me?" Toby asked.

"Is there a difference?"

"No," Toby sighed. "So they're all okay?"

"They've all been seen by the doctor, they're fine. What about you?"

"I have the flu, I should be at home in bed," Toby complained.

_(Continued...)_


	4. Part IV

_**Title**: Lightning by Willow  
**Synopsis**: Lightning never strike the same people twice, does it?  
**Rating**: PG  
**Spoilers**: Anything up to S6, set around S4_

**Part IV **

Josh walked through the communications bullpen at quarter past midnight and found Toby sat in his office. "You're here late," Josh commented.

"Yeah, I was writing."

"You're suppose to be at home ill."

"I'm better. You going home?"

"Not yet," Josh replied, "I need to check what I missed."

"Go home."

"I don't want to yet."

"You okay?"

"You asked me that half a dozen times on the phone."

"I'm waiting for an honest answer," Toby replied.

"I'm fine."

"No you're not."

"What do you want from me, Toby?" Josh snapped. "I've just been shot at, what the hell do you expect. You want me to be dancing in the aisles?"

"That's better," Toby replied.

Josh sat down and looked suddenly deflated. "I have to be fine."

"No you don't. No one expects CJ or Charlie or the president to not be effected, why should it be any different for you?"

"Because they don't have PTSD."

"All the more reason for you not to be okay."

"Yeah, 'cos I'm unstable anyway."

"No," Toby replied and sat quietly watching Josh.

"You just going to sit there and watch me?" Josh asked.

"Yes."

"Donna gone home?"

"No, she'd went to the mess for some food for us, she'll be back soon."

Josh nodded. "You don't look well."

"I have the flu."

"Then why are you here?"

"Why am I...?" Toby began. "Because I turned on the TV on this evening and heard that the president had been shot at as he left a meeting. Because I sat there and watched the pictures of people running and screaming and it was like Rosslyn again. Why the hell do you think I'm here?" Toby shouted.

Josh looked at his friend and suddenly realized that if he was going to talk to anyone here, it'd be Toby. "When the shooting started I couldn't move, I froze. If an agent hadn't pushed me down I'd have just stood there."

"CJ said you pulled her back down when she stood up. She thought the shooting had stopped, but it hadn't."

Josh nodded. "I didn't know if it had stopped or not," he admitted. "I could still hear the shooting when I was in the car."

"That's understandable."

"My chest hurt."

"Did you tell the doctor?" Toby was suddenly alarmed.

"There's nothing physically wrong with me. It was like, it was, at the concert that Christmas... I could feel the bullet," he hung his head.

"Have you talked to someone?"

"You."

"A therapist?"

"No. I will, but not tonight."

Toby was about to argue that he should talk to someone as soon as possible, but they were interrupted by Donna.

"You okay?" Donna asked Josh as she entered the office.

"Yeah."

"You cut your head."

Josh fingered the dressing on his forehead. "It's nothing, just a scratch. I'm fine, honestly."

Donna studied Josh, and while she didn't believe him for a minute, she nodded. "I called Stanley to warn him you'd be phoning."

"Tomorrow," Josh agreed.

"Tonight," Donna replied.

"It's past midnight."

"Not in California it isn't. Go back to your office and call Stanley," Donna instructed. When she saw Josh about to object she added, "Do I have to get Leo?"

Josh considered arguing, but he didn't have the strength to take on Donna, Toby and Leo so he shook his head. "I'll go and call him."

Once Josh had left the office, Donna turned to Toby. "Is he alright?"

"I wouldn't think so."

"No," Donna agreed. "What about you?"

"They're all fine, so we're both fine," Toby replied.

"You should go home before you collapse," Donna smiled.

"Yeah," Toby agreed. "Keep an eye on him, he said he could hear the gunfire when he was in the car, and," he hesitated.

"What?"

Toby looked awkward. "He said he felt the bullet," he quietly told Donna.

"Okay," she said and sat down.

"You think he'll be alright?" Toby asked.

"Yes, I just know how long that will take."

"No," Toby agreed.

_(TBC...)_


End file.
